Harnessing device

ABSTRACT

A harnessing device formed by a locking head and an attached, apertured strap. The head contains a longitudinal guide channel for receiving the strap, after encirclement of items to be harnessed, and an internal locking tang. The latter is deflected with respect to relatively narrow auxiliary channels on opposite sides of the guide channel. One of the auxiliary channels receives the locking tang during the harnessing of the items; the other auxiliary channel contains a stop against which the locking tang becomes abutted in planar engagement by the reverse thrust of the harnessed items.

O United States Paten [191 [111 3,766,608

Fay Oct. 23, 1973 1 HARNESSINGDEVICE .agi'sis's 7/1969 Mariani 24/16 PB[75] Inventor: obe B. ay, Med ay, Mass 3,590,442 7/1971 Geismger 24/l6PB [73] Assignee: Dennison Manufacturing Company, Primary ExaminerDonaldA. Griffin Framingham, Mass. Attorney-George E. Kersey" [22] Filed: June9, 1972 [52] US. Cl 24/16 PB [51] Int. Cl 865d 63/00 [58] Field ofSearch 24/20 TT, 30.5 P, 24/73 PB, 17 A, 17 B, 17 R, 16 PB; 248/74 PB;100/33 PB; 40/21 C [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 515,7473/1894 Carr 24/16 PB UX 3,106,028 10/1963 3,189,961 6/1965 Heller 24/20TT Appl. No.: 261,506

[57] ABSTRACT A harnessing device formed by a locking head and anattached, apertured strap. The head contains a longitudinal guidechannel for receiving the strap, after encirclement of items to beharnessed, and an internal locking tang. The latter is deflected withrespect to relatively narrow auxiliary channels on opposite sides of'theguide channel. One of the auxiliary channels receives the locking tangduring the harnessing of the items; the other auxiliary channel containsa stop against which the locking tang becomes abutted in planarengagement by the reverse thrust of the harnessed items.

29 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDnmzsmn 3.7asieoa SHEET 10F 5HARNESSING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF TI-IE INVENTION This invention relatesto the harnessing of items, and more particularly, to the secureharnessing of items to insure against their accidental release.

Harnessing devices are widely used for the bundling of objects. Suchdevices are typically formed by a serrated strap fitted to an aperturedhead containing an internal pawl that engages the serrations of thestrap; or by an apertured strap fitted to buckle-like head, with atongue that enters the apertures of the strap.

Harnessing devices with serrated straps have the disadvantage of beingonly as secure as their pawls. Where the items that are harnessed areheavy or are subjected to rough handling, the items often becomeaccidentally released, for example, by failure of the pawls. Attemptshave been made to strengthen serrated strap devices, but this hasresulted in considerable complexity without achieving the desired endresult of providing security against accidental release of the harnesseditems. Similar objections apply to harnessing devices with buckle-likeheads. In these devices, a tongue which enters the strap apertures restsagainst the head of the buckle near its opening and is deflected by thestrap. The tongue is typically a cantilever attachment to thebuckle-like head, which tends to be unduly stiff in the direction offorward thrust during harnessing, and insufficiently stiff in thedirection of reverse thrust applied by the strap because of theharnessed items. In addition the tongue is exposed to externalinterferences that can cause .an accidental release of the harnesseditems.

Accordingly, it is' an object of 'the invention to achieve a harnessingdevice for .thesecure harnessing of items. A related object iswtoachieve secure harnessing of items without the need for employing acomplex harness configuration.

Another object of .the invention is to prevent accidental release of theharness. A related object is to prevent external interference with thepawl or tongue-like member that is used to engage the strap of theharnessing device.

Still another object is to provide ease of harnessing and resistance tospontaneous unharnessing. A related object is to provide a headconfiguration that facilitates the cinching of a harnessing strap, but,at the same time, impedes the tendency of tightly cinched items toSUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accomplishing the foregoing and relatedobjects, the invention provides a harnessing device with a head that hasa longitudinally extending guide channel and a locking tang that isconfined within the head and mounted for pivotal movement with respectto the channel. An apertured strap, desirably in the form of a ladderstructure, is used to encircle the items to be harnessed and extendsperpendicularly from the locking head with respect to its longitudinalchannel. The internal position of the locking tang prevents externalinterferences and thus helps prevent accidental release of the harnesseditems. The combination of the locking tang with the apertured strappermits harnessing to take place without the objectionable stressconcentration often found in other kinds of harnessing devices.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the harnessing deviceincludes an auxiliary channel, narrower than the guide channel andlocated on one side, for receiving the locking tang as it is deflectedby reverse thrust applied to the strap. The use of such an auxiliarychannel tends to limit any objectionable lateral deflection of thelocking tang after items have become harnessed. It also permits agreater deflection of the locking tang in the direction of reversethrust. As

this deflection increases, the resistance of the locking tang to furtherdeflection also increases.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the channel for thelocking tang includes an inclined planar stop against which the lock-ingtang becomes abutted by the reverse thrust applied to the strap. Theplanar abutment causes a distribution of forces so that there is noundue concentration of stresses. In addition, when the tang is abuttedagainst the stop, the maximum compressive stress is applied, tending tohold the tang in its lock position.

In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, the desiredlocking effect of the tang can be accentuated by having the walls of theauxiliary channel converge towards the stop in order to provide a wedgeeffect.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, another relativelynarrow auxiliary channel is located on the other side of the guidechannel. The locking tang is pivotally mounted in the second auxiliarychannel and is received by that channel as the strap is subjected toforward thrust. This channel tends to prevent any objectionable lateraldeflection of the locking tang during the harnessing of items.

In accordance with a still further aspect of the invention, the lockingtang is pivotally mounted in the second auxiliary channel for easydeflection in the forward direction during the harnessing of items,while affording increasing resistance to deflection in the reversedirection after the items have been harnessed. For this purpose thelocking tang is desirably mounted at an angle of less than 45 withrespect to the guide channel.

In accordance with yet other aspects of the invention, the locking tangcan be a curved member with a convex surface contacted by the strap, forexample, the rungs of a ladder strap, when reverse thrust is applied.The strap also can have a width in excess of the guide channel. Thispermits the strap, when made of a material such as nylon, to bestretched over the major portion of its length to substantially the samewidth as that of the guide channel, increasing the tensile strength ofthe strap per unit of cross-section. Alternatively, when the strap is ofan elastomeric material, the excess width provides a desired wedgingeffect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other aspects of the invention willbecome apparent after considering several illustrative embodiments takenin conjunction with the drawings which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a harnessing device in accordance withthe invention, being used to harness a bundle of items;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the head portion of the harnessingdevice of FIG. 1 with the upper part broken away to show the internalconstruction of the head;

FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of an alternative harnessing devicehead in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3B is a frontal view of the harnessing device head shown incross-section in FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a harnessing device in accordance with theinvention having an attached strap with a width exceeding that oftheguide channel in the head; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another alternative headconfiguration for a harnessing device in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Turning to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a harnessingdevice in accordance with the invention formed by a locking head with anattached strap 30. The latter is in the form of a ladder structure thatextends perpendicularly with respect to a corresponding guide channel 21extending longitudinally through the head 20. When a group of items 11is to be harnessed, they are encircled by the strap 30 and a tab 31 atthe free end of the strap is inserted into and through the guide channel21. The strap 30 is drawn through the locking head 20 by applying aforward thrust to it, and an internal locking tang (not shown in FIG. 1)is deflected with respect to associated auxiliary channels 22 and 23.The locking tang successively engages rungs 32 of the strap 30 until theitems 11 are securely harnessed. Reverse thrust produced on the strap 30by the harnessed items 11 draws the locking tang against an internalstop (not shown) and prevents the items 11 from becoming unbundled. Thedevice 10, including its head 20 and strap 30, is desirably made out ofa resilient elastomeric material or a plastic material such as nylon.

The internal structure of the head 20 is shown in FIG. 2. The channel 21serves as a guide for the rails of the strap rungs 32. Extending intothe guide channel 21 is a locking tang 25, which is pivotally mounted inthe lower auxiliary channel 23. The latter is narrower than the guidechannel 21 and receives the locking tang when the strap is moved in thedirection indicated by the forward thrust arrow F. The side walls of thelower channel 22 are spaced apart to receive the locking tang 25 withoutbinding effect but are advantageously closely enough spaced to preventany undesired lateral deflection of the locking tang.

As shown in FIG. 2, the locking tang is in its equilibrium positionafter having been deflected into the lower channel 23 by the forwardmotion of one of the rungs 32. After the items 11 (FIG. 1) have becomesecurely bundled and the forward thrust F applied to the strap isterminated, the bundled items apply a reverse thrust by which thenearest of the rungs 32 forces the locking tang 25 into the upperchannel 22 between narrow side walls, of which one such wall 22w isshown in FIG. 2, until the tang 25 comes into contact with an inclined,planar stop 22s that blocks the upper channel 22.

The forward and reverse thrust movements of a representative lockingtang 25, are illustrated in FIG. 3A. The tang 25, has a blunt end thatis perpendicular to the direction of thrust, by contrast with the bluntend of the tang 25 in FIG. 2 which is parallel to the direction ofthrust. When forward thrust F1 is applied to the strap in FIG. 3A, andone of the rungs 32-1 engages the locking tang 25,, there is a componentof thrust F-2 that is perpendicular to the tang and another component ofthrust F-3 along the tang. The forward thrust F-l produces acounter-wise deflection of the tang 25, into the lower channel 23, withthe tang ultimately reaching the phantom position 25f. It is to be notedthat as the downward deflection of the tang into the channel 23increases, the perpendicular component of thrust F-2 decreases until thedeflecting rung of the strap occupies the phantom position 32-2, afterwhich the natural resiliency of the tang 25, restores it to itsequilibrium position.

When the forward thrust F-l on the strap of FIG. 3A is terminated, thereverse thrust R-l exerted by the bundled items 11 (FIG. 1) causes therung in the phantom position 32-3 to bear against the tang 25,.Ultimately, as a result of the reverse thrust, the locking tang 25,occupies the phantom position 25r in abutting relationship with theinclined planar stop 22s. In this position, the reverse thrust R-l has acomponent R-2 that is perpendicular to the stop surface 22s and anothercomponent R-3 along the surface of the tang. In the rest or lockedposition of the tang 25 the compression component R-2 is maximum. Inaddition, as the tang 25, moves to the phantom position 25r, the leverarm decreases so that the resistance of the tang to reverse deflectionincreases as the deflection increases. Thus the tang tends to resist thereverse thrust deflection applied by the items that have been harnessed.This is by contrast with conventional harnessing devices in which thereis no increase in counterdeflection.

As shown by FIG. 3A, the locking tang 25, is positioned within the head20 to facilitate the forward thrust of the strap and at the same timeimpede reverse thrust. Thus, the counterclockwise deflection of thelocking tang into the lower auxiliary channel 23 is facilitated by theposition of the tang, while the clockwise deflection from equilibriumcaused by reverse thrust is resisted. FIG. 3A also shows that the heightof the guide channel 21 near the output end exceeds the height of thechannel near the locking tang 25,. This promotes the feed of the strapin the guide channel.

In addition the walls 22w of the upper auxiliary channel 22 canbe'tapered towards the end of the head containing the inclined planarstop 22s, so that as the locking tang 25, moves upwardly into thechannel 22 it becomes wedged between the walls 22w.

A frontal view of the locking head 20 of FIG. 3A in FIG. 3B shows thatwhen the locking tang 25, is in equilibrium, the guide channel is fullyoccupied, but the tang does not extend into the upper auxiliary channel(not visible in FIG. 3B). The portion of the locking tang 25, which ispivotally mounted in the lower auxiliary channel is flanked by rampsurfaces 23r. These surfaces facilitate the entry of the rails 34-1 and34-2 of the strap 30 into the guide channel and are of a widthdetermined by the extent to which an inclined ramp effect is desired atthe entrance of the locking head 20. It is to be noted that the strap 30which is attached to the locking head is shown to have a neck 33 that iswider than the remainder of the strap between the rails 34-1 and 34-2.When the harnessing device is of nylon, the strap 30 is deliberatelymade oversized. It is then stretched, except at the neck 33, to asuitable width to permit easy entry into the guide channel of the head20.

A plan view of a harnessing device with an oversized strap 30 is shownin FIG. 4. As noted above, this kind of strap is formed when theharnessing device is fabricated of nylon and the strap is thereafterstretched to produce the desired ladder configuration below the headshown by FIG. 38. Alternatively, the strap 30 of FIG. 4 can be usedwithout being pre-stretched when the harnessing device is fabricated ofa stretchable elastomeric material. In that event, when the tab 31 isinserted into the guide channel 21, the strap becomes stretched over theitems being harnessed by the forward thrust applied by the user. Whenthe forward thrust is terminated, and the harnessed items exert areverse thrust, there is resistance to that thrust by virtue of theaction of the locking tang 25, but there is additional resistance to thereverse thrust by virtue of the unstretched guide rails 34-1 and 34-2that result between the tab 31 and the output of the guide channel.Thisincreases the security of the harnessing device.

While various aspects of the invention have been set forth by thedrawings and the specification, it is to be understood that theforegoing detailed description is for illustration only and that variouschanges in parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent constituentsfor those shown and described, may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A harnessing device comprising an enclosed head having a guidechannel extending longitudinally therethrough,

a locking tang confined'within the enclosure of said head and mountedfor pivotal movement with respect to said channel, and a strap extendingperpendicularly from said head with respect to said channel,

said strap being formed by a ladder structure with rungs which aresequentially engaged by said locking tang when said strap is insertedinto and through said channel around one or more items to be harnessed.

2. The harnessing device of claim 1 further including an auxiliarychannel, narrower than said guide channel and located on one sidethereof, for receiving said locking tang during the deflection thereofby reverse thrust applied to said strap by the harnessed items.

3. A harnessing device as defined in claim 2 wherein the channel forsaid locking tang includes an inclined planar stop at an acute angle tosaid strap against which said locking tang becomes abutted and makesplanar contact during the deflection thereof by said reverse thrust.

4. A harnessing device as defined in claim 3 wherein the walls of saidauxiliary channel converge towards said stop.

5. A harnessing device as defined in claim 3 wherein said locking tangis curved to resist buckling and has a blunt end which engages saidplanar stop as reverse thrust is applied thereto by said strap.

6. The harnessing device of claim 2 including another auxiliary channel,narrower than said guide channel and located on the other side thereof,in which said locking tang is pivotally mounted and completely receivedduring the deflection thereof by said strap during the harnessing ofsaid items.

7. A harnessing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said locking tangis pivotally mounted at an angle at one end of said channel to resistthe reverse thrust applied to said strap by the harnessed items.

8. A harnessing device as defined in claim 7 wherein said locking tangis mounted adjacent said strap at an acute angle with respect to thedirection of motion of said strap in said guide channel.

9. A harnessing device as defined in claim 1 wherein the ladder portionof said strap is stretchable and has a width which exceeds that of saidguide channel.

'10. A harnessing device as defined in claim 9 wherein said strap isstretched so that the width over a major portion of the length thereofis less than that of said guide channel.

11. A harnessing device comprising a head having a guide channelextending longitudinally therethrough, a locking tang confined withinsaid head and mounted for pivotal movement with respect to said channel,a strap extending perpendicularly from said head with respect to saidchannel, said strap being formed by a ladder structure with rungs whichare sequentially engaged by said locking tang when said strap isinserted into and through said channel around one or more items to beharnessed, and an auxiliary channel, narrower than said guide channeland located on one side thereof, for receiving said locking tang duringthe deflection thereof by reverse thrust applied to said strap by theharnessed items, the channel for receiving said locking tang includingan inclined planar stop at an acute angle to said strap against whichsaid locking tang becomes abutted and makes planar contact during thedeflection thereof by said reverse thrust.

12. A harnessing device comprising a head having a guide channelextending longitudinally therethrough, a locking tang confined withinsaid head and mounted for pivotal movement with respect to said channel,a

strap extending perpendicularly from said head with respect to saidchannel, said strap being formed by a ladder structure with rungs whichare sequentially engaged by said locking tang when said strap isinserted into and through said channel around one or more items to beharnessed, a first auxiliary channel, narrower than said guide channeland located on one side thereof, for receiving said locking tang duringthe deflection thereof by reverse thrust applied to said strap by theharnessed items, and a second auxiliary channel, narrower than saidguide channel and located on the other side thereof, in which saidlocking tang is pivotally mounted and completely received during thedeflection thereof by said strap during the harnessing of said items.

13. A harnessing device comprising a head having a guide channelextending longitudinally therethrough, a locking tang confined withinsaid head and mounted for pivotal movement with respect to said channel,and a strap extending perpendicularly from said head with respect tosaid channel, said strap being formed by a ladder structure with rungsfor sequentially engaging said locking tang when said strap is insertedinto and through said channel around one or more items to be harnessed,the ladder portion of said strap being stretchable and having a widthwhich exceeds that of said guide channel.

14. A harnessing device as defined in claim 13 wherein the ladderportion of said strap is stretched over at least a portion of the lengththereof to a width less than that of said guide channel.

15. A harnessing device comprising a head having an elongated, straightguide channel extending therethrough, a deflectable locking tang withinsaid head and a strap formed by a ladder structure with rungs which aresequentially engaged by said locking tang when said strap is insertedinto said channel.

16. A harnessing device as defined in claim wherein one end of saidstrap is attached to said head at an angle with respect to the axis ofinsertion of the other end of said strap into said channel.

17. A harnessing device as defined in claim 15 further including anauxiliary channel communicating with said guide channel for trappingsaid locking tang during the application of reverse thrust thereto bysaid strap.

18. A harnessing device as defined in claim 15 wherein the walls of saidguide channel converge towards one end of said head.

19. A harnessing device as defined in claim 15 wherein said locking tangis positioned at one end of said head.

20. A harnessing device comprising a head having an elongated guidechannel extending therethrough, there being a first auxiliary channelwithin said head on one side of said channel, a defiectable locking tangwithin said head in said first channel and extending into said guidechannel, a strap having a set of apertures which are sequentiallyentered by said locking tang when said strap is inserted by forwardthrust into said guide channel, and a second auxiliary channel withinsaid head on the other side of said guide channel for said locking tangwhen reverse thrust is applied to said strap.

21. A harnessing device as defined in claim wherein one end of saidstrap is attached to said head at an angle with respect to the axis ofinsertion of the other end of said strap into said channel.

22. A harnessing device as defined in claim 20 wherein said secondauxiliary channel is proportioned to trap said locking tang when reversethrust is applied thereto by said strap.

23. A harnessing device as defined in claim 22 wherein said locking tangis trapped by a stop member which blocks said second auxiliary channel.

24. A harnessing device as defined in claim 20 wherein the walls of saidguide channel, said first auxiliary channel and said second auxiliarychannel converge towards one end of said head.

25. A harnessing device as defined in claim 20 wherein said locking tangis positioned in said first auxiliary channel at one end of said head.

26. A harnessing device comprising a head having a guide channelextending therethrough, a defiectable locking tang confined in said headand an apertured strap having an initial width which exceeds that ofsaid guide channel, said strap being stretchable over at least a portionthereof to a width less than that of said guide channel for insertionthereinto.

27. A harnessing device as defined in claim 26 wherein one end of saidstrap is attached to said head at an angle with respect to the axis ofinsertion of the other end of said strap into said guide channel.

28. A harnessing device as defined in claim 26 wherein at least aportion of the length of said strap, commencing at said initial width,is stretched to a width less than that of said guide channel.

29. A harnessing device as defined in claim 26 wherein the stretchableportion of said strap comprises a plurality of rungs, spaced from oneanother, extending between first and second longitudinal rails.

1. A harnessing device comprising an enclosed head having a guidechannel extending longitudinally therethrough, a locking tang confinedwithin the enclosure of said head and mounted for pivotal movement withrespect to said channel, and a strap extending perpendicularly from saidhead with respect to said channel, said strap being formed by a ladderstructure with rungs which are sequentially engaged by said locking tangwhen said strap is inserted into and through said channel around one ormore items to be harnessed.
 2. The harnessing device of claim 1 furtherincluding an auxiliary channel, narrower than said guide channel andlocated on one side thereof, for receiving said locking tang during thedeflection thereof by reverse thrust applied to said strap by theharnessed items.
 3. A harnessing device as defined in claim 2 whereinthe channel for said locking tang includes an inclined planar stop at anacute angle to said strap against which said locking tang becomesabutted and makes planar contact during the deflection thereof by saidreverse thrust.
 4. A harnessing device as defined in claim 3 wherein thewalls of said auxiliary channel converge towards said stop.
 5. Aharnessing device as defined in claim 3 wherein said locking tang iscurved to resist buckling and has a blunt end which engages said planarstop as reverse thrust is applied thereto by said strap.
 6. Theharnessing device of claim 2 including another auxiliary channel,narrower than said guide channel and located on the other side thereof,in which said locking tang is pivotally mounted and completely receivedduring the deflection thereof by said strap during the harnessing ofsaid items.
 7. A harnessing device as defined in claim 1 wherein saidlocking tang is pivotally mounted at an angle at one end of said channelto resist the reverse thrust applied to said strap by the harnesseditems.
 8. A harnessing device as defined in claim 7 wherein said lockingtang is mounted adjacent said strap at an acute angle with respect tothe direction of motion of said strap in said guide channel.
 9. Aharnessing device as defined in claim 1 wherein the ladder portion ofsaid strap is stretchable and has a width which exceeds that of saidguide channel.
 10. A harnessing device as defined in claim 9 whereinsaid strap is stretched so that the width over a major portion of thelength thereof is less than that of said guide channel.
 11. A harnessingdevice comprising a head having a guide channel extending longitudinallytherethrough, a locking tang confined within said head and mounted forpivotal movement with respect to said channel, a strap extendingperpendicularly from said head with respect to said channel, said strapbeing formed by a ladder structure with rungs which are sequentiallyengaged by said locking tang when said strap is inserted into andthrough said channel around one or more items to be harnessed, and anauxiliary channel, narrower than said guide channel and located on oneside thereof, for receiving said locking tang during the deflectionthereof by reverse thrust applied to said strap by the harnessed items,the channel for receiving said locking tang including an inclined planarstop at an acute angle to said strap against which said locking tangbecomes abutted and makes planar contact during the deflection thereofby said reverse thrust.
 12. A harnessing device comprising a head havinga guide channel extending longitudinally therethrough, a locking tangconfined within said head and mounted for pivotal movement with respectto said channel, a strap extending perpendicularly from said hEad withrespect to said channel, said strap being formed by a ladder structurewith rungs which are sequentially engaged by said locking tang when saidstrap is inserted into and through said channel around one or more itemsto be harnessed, a first auxiliary channel, narrower than said guidechannel and located on one side thereof, for receiving said locking tangduring the deflection thereof by reverse thrust applied to said strap bythe harnessed items, and a second auxiliary channel, narrower than saidguide channel and located on the other side thereof, in which saidlocking tang is pivotally mounted and completely received during thedeflection thereof by said strap during the harnessing of said items.13. A harnessing device comprising a head having a guide channelextending longitudinally therethrough, a locking tang confined withinsaid head and mounted for pivotal movement with respect to said channel,and a strap extending perpendicularly from said head with respect tosaid channel, said strap being formed by a ladder structure with rungsfor sequentially engaging said locking tang when said strap is insertedinto and through said channel around one or more items to be harnessed,the ladder portion of said strap being stretchable and having a widthwhich exceeds that of said guide channel.
 14. A harnessing device asdefined in claim 13 wherein the ladder portion of said strap isstretched over at least a portion of the length thereof to a width lessthan that of said guide channel.
 15. A harnessing device comprising ahead having an elongated, straight guide channel extending therethrough,a deflectable locking tang within said head and a strap formed by aladder structure with rungs which are sequentially engaged by saidlocking tang when said strap is inserted into said channel.
 16. Aharnessing device as defined in claim 15 wherein one end of said strapis attached to said head at an angle with respect to the axis ofinsertion of the other end of said strap into said channel.
 17. Aharnessing device as defined in claim 15 further including an auxiliarychannel communicating with said guide channel for trapping said lockingtang during the application of reverse thrust thereto by said strap. 18.A harnessing device as defined in claim 15 wherein the walls of saidguide channel converge towards one end of said head.
 19. A harnessingdevice as defined in claim 15 wherein said locking tang is positioned atone end of said head.
 20. A harnessing device comprising a head havingan elongated guide channel extending therethrough, there being a firstauxiliary channel within said head on one side of said channel, adeflectable locking tang within said head in said first channel andextending into said guide channel, a strap having a set of apertureswhich are sequentially entered by said locking tang when said strap isinserted by forward thrust into said guide channel, and a secondauxiliary channel within said head on the other side of said guidechannel for said locking tang when reverse thrust is applied to saidstrap.
 21. A harnessing device as defined in claim 20 wherein one end ofsaid strap is attached to said head at an angle with respect to the axisof insertion of the other end of said strap into said channel.
 22. Aharnessing device as defined in claim 20 wherein said second auxiliarychannel is proportioned to trap said locking tang when reverse thrust isapplied thereto by said strap.
 23. A harnessing device as defined inclaim 22 wherein said locking tang is trapped by a stop member whichblocks said second auxiliary channel.
 24. A harnessing device as definedin claim 20 wherein the walls of said guide channel, said firstauxiliary channel and said second auxiliary channel converge towards oneend of said head.
 25. A harnessing device as defined in claim 20 whereinsaid locking tang is positioned in said first auxiliary channel at oneend of said head.
 26. A harnessing device comprising a head having aguIde channel extending therethrough, a deflectable locking tangconfined in said head and an apertured strap having an initial widthwhich exceeds that of said guide channel, said strap being stretchableover at least a portion thereof to a width less than that of said guidechannel for insertion thereinto.
 27. A harnessing device as defined inclaim 26 wherein one end of said strap is attached to said head at anangle with respect to the axis of insertion of the other end of saidstrap into said guide channel.
 28. A harnessing device as defined inclaim 26 wherein at least a portion of the length of said strap,commencing at said initial width, is stretched to a width less than thatof said guide channel.
 29. A harnessing device as defined in claim 26wherein the stretchable portion of said strap comprises a plurality ofrungs, spaced from one another, extending between first and secondlongitudinal rails.